cadet vs deere

[ww874]

Hi i originally posted this on the buying thread but i think my question really belongs here.
hi all, this is my first post and i'd appreciate all advice
my situation-
1. 1 arce of rough sloping terrian. 2 arces somewhat level
2. 2nd home and i'm not able to mow weekly, usually only every 3 or 4 weeks. (if it rains in late may when i'm there and i don't back until mid june the grass gets high, easily over a foot) i have a ford tractor with a 5 foot bush hog but i find its tough to get close around the house and dangerous on the slopes.
3. i'm guessing a garden tractor would be just the ticket around the house and in the fields after i've bush hogged.

My choices are a cub cadet 2544 for 3,200 otd (which seems to be a good price) or a john deere x500 for 5,500( which is about retail price)
Would either machice be adequate for my situation and is the jd worth that much more.

 

[Slade]

For your pretty light duty use, I would opt for the Cadet. That 22 hp Kohler engine will do just fine. I have one in an old Sears rider and it has performed admirably with no problems for 7 years and I beat it mercilessly.

 

[Revelation]

They both make great products, however there is a reason why John Deere is the most popular brand out there; they make very tough, durable, and good looking equipment. When I was going to buy a lawn tractor and thought about buying another brand other than John Deere, I know I would be thinking in the back of my head, I could of bought the John Deere. Kinda like buying a Weber grill. I had a 2 Sears grills that were just fine. However when I bought the Weber, I found in some areas it excelled over the other brands, while in other areas it was the equal. I found the same with John Deere.

Get the John Deere, if money is tight perhaps one of their 300 series could meet your needs. Just make sure you get at least a 22 hp engine for the size of your lot. Just don't cut low, as any tractor will not be happy with cutting 4 or more inches of grass at a time.

 

[bontai_Joe]

The Deere X500 series is closer in comparison to the Cub 3000 series. The Cub 2500 series is closer to the Deere X300 series. from your description, it seems you just want a machine for some tough grass cutting, no mention of snow or tilling, so I'd say the Cub 2500 series or Deere X300 series would be the smallest I'd get. But you might find a nice deal on a bigger used machine if you hunt around some for the same or less money.

 

[LBrown59]

Hi i originally posted this on the buying thread but i think my question really belongs here.
hi all, this is my first post and i'd appreciate all advice
my situation-
1. 1 arce of rough sloping terrian. 2 arces somewhat level
2. 2nd home and i'm not able to mow weekly, usually only every 3 or 4 weeks. (if it rains in late may when i'm there and i don't back until mid june the grass gets high, easily over a foot) i have a ford tractor with a 5 foot bush hog but i find its tough to get close around the house and dangerous on the slopes.
3. i'm guessing a garden tractor would be just the ticket around the house and in the fields after i've bush hogged.

My choices are a cub cadet 2544 for 3,200 otd (which seems to be a good price) or a john deere x500 for 5,500( which is about retail price)
Would either machice be adequate for my situation and *is the jd worth that much more.

*Not to me.

Get at least a 48'' mower better yet a 54'' mower.
A 44'' is pretty narrow for 3 acres.
My 46'' seemed to take for ever here on my 2.33 acres after using my CC54'' mower.
For me The CC comes much closer to being worth 3200 than does the JD come to being worth 5500.
The CC is shaft drive but I'm thinking the x500 is belt drive but not sure so check it out .

 

[JiminGa]

I'll go totally against the grain on this one. it's a second home you don't spend alot of time at...hire out the mowing on a bi weekly schedule.

 

[ww874]

I wish i could find someone who would reliably mow it but that just doesn't seem to be possible. (I've tried).
And I've also watched many other nieghbors wreck lawn tractors every spring, so much so that we joke about it. That's why I want a garden tractor.
Looks like I'm gonna keep my eyes open for a good used JD. My reason for saying this is because I think if I bought the cc I'd always wished I had the JD. I do admit i'd like as new as possible because I do not like tinkering/fixing equiptment, I just want to turn the key and go. That said how old is ok before i have to worry about problems? and any suggestions in addition to the x500?

 

[bontai_Joe]

I am one of those guys that has as much fun working on them as using them, so my stuff is all over 25 years old. Used tractor recomendations for a guy that doesn't want to work on it, just turn a key and go..... less than 5 years old and I'd be looking at Deere 300 series GTs and Cub Cadet 3000 series GTs, and Wheelhorse 300 series and Simplicity as well as the Simplicity clones sold as Massey Ferguson, or Agco.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Speaking as a former JD owner and now a Cub owner, I have ZERO regrets. I replaced a JD318 with a Cub 3204 a few yrs ago and the Cub has been a more reliable GT than the JD was. Money was not an issue in the decision.

I'll agree the JD is nicer looking and possible better fit and finish but where it counts, the Cub won hands down. Compared models that were as close a match to the 318 as I could find. The Cub weighed quite a bit more and it showed. I'm not a fan of vert shaft engines but that is me. Shaft drive to trans and mower, yes two small belts to drive the pto but no twists, cheap & easy to replace but never have had the need in the 4 yrs I've owned the Cub. My HD deck made the JD look wimpy. It tips the scale at 260# and that's for a 48" model. Grease fittings everywhere, got a doz on the mower itself. Even small cross shafts on the tractor have large bronze bearings. Cast iron trans/diff housing.

I could go on but won't. Like I said NO regrets on the Cub and it was lower cost the the equivalent JD.

 

[ww874]

Ok so a cub 2544 is back in consideration. does it matter that the 2544 doesn't have a differential lock?

 

[Tractor Rep]

Before went independent I worked for a dealership that sold both Deere and Cub.. Of course we had to register a couple different biz names to get it done,,, But in the course of my 2 years with the company I saw alot less Cubs coming in for repairs then Deere. albeit,, the one thing I noted was that the Cub parts often were more expensive. But the owners needed alot less of them and they were 20% to 30% heavier then the comparable Deere Part.

I attribute the heartiness of the Cubs to the service-ability factor. Their parts are heavier, but they also are greasable. So heat and wear are not nearly as big of issues as they were on the Deere's. Which is great for a guy that actually will use his grease gun,,, maybe not so good for someone who won't because those parts really can get expensive.

Plus, we also found that Deere tractors (the working guts part), minus the pretty sheetmetal were also available in several other names. Significantly cheaper too. Don't know if it still the same way, but to me it really drove home the fact that Deere is not the company they used to be. In terms of small stuff, they are just a name and a paint scheme. I know lots of outfits outsource their componants too and just put their names on it.

But darn,,,, for that much money! I rather have something I can take care of to prevent it from wearing out or breaking down rather then having to wait for it to happen and usually at a really inconvenient time...... I'm a perfect example,,, I got a great deal on a Craftsman,,, It's not serviceable, and now it also runs like crap........ and has issues that are going to cost a small fortune to fix,,, if I only could have greased my deck pulley bearings I could have cut my repair cost in half simply from only having to manage my engine problems.

PS,, 42 inch deck takes me almost a hour to mow my 6500 Sq foot lawn, with only one section of slope,,,, about 20 feet long, 4 foot of grade drop and 30 wide, other wise I'm pretty much flat and weekly cutting.

For the money, I'd get a 6 foot finish mower for the back of the tractor and learn how to back in as needed and manuever around the house. They free float on their own LGP wheels so they don't have the control problems that a brush cutter has on the back of a tractor while working on slopes,, When set up correctly they actually improve your tractors feeling of stablility on slopes.

 

[LBrown59]

Cub Cadet is Shaft drive to trans and mower .

.

The x500 is belt drive to trans and mower rite!

 

[LBrown59]

Ok so a cub 2544 is back in consideration. does it matter that the 2544 doesn't have a differential lock?

NOT as much as you might think.
By the time you get to that stage yer probably in so bad all the differential lock does is give you 2 wheels spinninng round and round in the mud going no where instead of 1.
My 42 Year old Bolens tractor has A differential lock?
Bet I hain't used it a half dozzen times during that entire forty two years.

 

[Revelation]

Before went independent I worked for a dealership that sold both Deere and Cub.. Of course we had to register a couple different biz names to get it done,,, But in the course of my 2 years with the company I saw alot less Cubs coming in for repairs then Deere. albeit,, the one thing I noted was that the Cub parts often were more expensive. But the owners needed alot less of them and they were 20% to 30% heavier then the comparable Deere Part.

I attribute the heartiness of the Cubs to the service-ability factor. Their parts are heavier, but they also are greasable. So heat and wear are not nearly as big of issues as they were on the Deere's. Which is great for a guy that actually will use his grease gun,,, maybe not so good for someone who won't because those parts really can get expensive.

Plus, we also found that Deere tractors (the working guts part), minus the pretty sheetmetal were also available in several other names. Significantly cheaper too. Don't know if it still the same way, but to me it really drove home the fact that Deere is not the company they used to be. In terms of small stuff, they are just a name and a paint scheme. I know lots of outfits outsource their componants too and just put their names on it.

But darn,,,, for that much money! I rather have something I can take care of to prevent it from wearing out or breaking down rather then having to wait for it to happen and usually at a really inconvenient time...... I'm a perfect example,,, I got a great deal on a Craftsman,,, It's not serviceable, and now it also runs like crap........ and has issues that are going to cost a small fortune to fix,,, if I only could have greased my deck pulley bearings I could have cut my repair cost in half simply from only having to manage my engine problems.

PS,, 42 inch deck takes me almost a hour to mow my 6500 Sq foot lawn, with only one section of slope,,,, about 20 feet long, 4 foot of grade drop and 30 wide, other wise I'm pretty much flat and weekly cutting.

For the money, I'd get a 6 foot finish mower for the back of the tractor and learn how to back in as needed and manuever around the house. They free float on their own LGP wheels so they don't have the control problems that a brush cutter has on the back of a tractor while working on slopes,, When set up correctly they actually improve your tractors feeling of stablility on slopes.

I am not as familar with Cadet and based on your experience they appear to be pretty good. A couple of things though that could reflect why there were more JD repairs
1. How many JD were sold compared to Cadet.
2. Were the service issues because the owners failed to maintain their equipment, or was is due to JD quality not being as good as Cadet.

Though Cadet may be as good or better than JD, Consumer Report still rates JD #1 in several price catagory's. Not sure how much weight that really has, but it is an interesting fact.

 

[LBrown59]

1*Consumer Report still rates JD #1 in several price catagory's.
2*Not sure how much weight that really has, but it is an interesting fact.
****************

1*CR is incorrect / incomplete in many of their opinions.
2*Not much when you consider the folks on this Board are far more informed and experienced with more models and brands than CR will ever hope to be.

I see you are a new member .
Usually it's the new member who calls it wrong on CR.

 

[Tractor Rep]

I am not as familar with Cadet and based on your experience they appear to be pretty good. A couple of things though that could reflect why there were more JD repairs
1. How many JD were sold compared to Cadet. 2. Were the service issues because the owners failed to maintain their equipment, or was is due to JD quality not being as good as Cadet.

#1, They were pretty much on par as far as number sold, mostly because the green always sells. Could be the biggest piece of crap around and someone will buy it just because it's green and says Deere on the lable... It's a tradition and Deere has a nostalgic feel because of the premium reputation they had in past era's. It has an undeniable mystic.

But the sales staff where I was working really preferred to sell the yellows. So they stayed up there in numbers real well. You have to remember this was a small town that was booming, and guys don't like having to back peddle or him and haw about something they sold and then have to deal with seeing that unhappy customer at the grocery store or gas station in town. So they really pushed the real heavy build Cadets, and it was a mentality that worked. The two brands stayed pretty much neck and neck but those big heavy Cub riders really were tough and being that they could be greased and were built more like a tractor rather then a riding mower I think people maybe respected them more. Or they were scared to death to eventually have to get parts ! LOL,

# 2, It was a service ability issue more then anything. Most users that we sold to were locals. The terrain and wetness and over all environments were generally the same. Lots of tall damp grass, the occasional user taking them out in the side field and using it like a brush hog hacking away at the seasons black berry and scotch broom growth. Lots of lumpy yards from newly developed housing tracts that were put in. The Deere users did happen to be more of the penny pincher types that regardless of obvious build differences were going to buy the green versus the CC 4000 series,, the JD's were just flat cheaper.

Our CC 4000 series,,, I think it was the 4000 series,, Darn it's been a long time!,,, was actually our best seller and also our less problematic... but also the most expensive.(by far)

Our only competition in town happened to be the Dollar store with the real cheap chinese riders, so there was otherwise not alot of stuff to pick from if a guy wanted to buy from some one down the street and be able to get priority service and quick parts(by far)

Though Cadet may be as good or better than JD, Consumer Report still rates JD #1 in several price catagory's. Not sure how much weight that really has, but it is an interesting fact.

I often wonder if they don't just pay folks to print stuff like that?

 

[LBrown59]

My choices :
Cub cadet 2544 for 3,200
John deere x500 for 5,500

The CC is a 44'' Mower.
What Size is The JD Mower ????????????????????

 

[LBrown59]

Ok so a cub 2544 is back in consideration.
Does it matter that the 2544 doesn't have a differential lock?

I'd say getting a mower bigger than a 44 inch is more important than differential lock.

Get at least a 48'' mower better yet a 54'' mower.
A 44'' is pretty narrow for 3 acres.
My 46'' seemed to take for ever here on my 2.33 acres after using my CC54'' mower.

 

[LBrown59]

I often wonder if they don't just pay folks to print stuff like that?

I say more often than not it's due to them not having all the facts/information before voicing their opinion which is at that point distorted.

 

[JDGREEN4ME]

I say more often than not it's due to them not having all the facts/information before voicing their opinion which is at that point distorted.

Thanks for clearing that up for me...I always wondered about that.